Thrombocytes or platelets are essential to carry out the blood clotting process. Without enough platelets in the body, it would be difficult to stop bleeding. Platelets not only prevent bleeding injuries but they also promote proper blood circulation in the body. You need to have your platelet count anywhere between 150,000 and 450,000/mcL, but certain health conditions can push your platelet count up, which can cause serious complications. You may have to take medications and learn how to lower platelet count to manage your condition better.

8 Easy Ways to Lower Platelet Count

Your platelet count could be too high or too low due to several medical conditions. You can try some natural remedies to lower your platelet count. Here are some suggestions.

1. Try Ginkgo Biloba

Marketed as a memory enhancer, ginkgo biloba is an increasingly popular herb used in China and many other parts of the world. Its leaves contain terpenoids that help improve blood circulation. It has a thinning effect on your blood that lowers your risk of developing internal blood clots. Regular use of this herb helps remove excess platelets from your system. Be sure to talk to your doctor before using gingko biloba if you are already taking anticonvulsant medications.

2. Enjoy Ginseng

Wondering how to lower platelet count? Try ginseng. Known as energy-boosting supplement in the U.S., ginseng also plays a role in preventing internal blood clots. By creating a thinning effect on your blood, it lowers your risk of stroke and heart attack. It keeps platelets to clump together to form a clot. Talk to your doctor before you take ginseng because it may interact with your medications and contribute to stomach discomfort or insomnia.

3. Eat Raw Garlic

Raw garlic helps lower your platelet count because it contains a compound called 'allicin'. This compound decreases the number of platelets in your blood and your body responds to this change by boosting your immune system. Be sure to eat raw garlic only because the allicin content goes down quickly with cooking. You should eat it with some food though because eating it alone can cause stomach upset in some cases.

4. Include Pomegranates in Your Diet

Your diet should include plenty of fruits and veggies, but you should eat pomegranates in particular because of their anti-platelet effect. They contain polyphenols that reduces the production of platelets in the body. Including pomegranate in your diet is one simple way to learn how to lower platelet count. You can simply add pomegranate extract while cooking your food or eat a whole pomegranate. Its juice is equally beneficial.

5. Increase Omega-3 Intake

Your diet should include omega-3 fatty acids to limit platelet activity in the body. Regular consumption of such foods leads to thinning of the blood, which in turn lowers your risk of developing blood clots. You can find loads of omega-3s in seafood such as salmon, tuna, sardine, scallops, herring, and sardine. Be sure to eat at last two servings of fish per week or take a 3000-4000mg of fish oil supplement every day to meet your recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

6. Enjoy Red Wine

Knowing how to lower platelet count can protect you from several cardiovascular diseases, and one simple way to accomplish the task is to drink red wine. It is beneficial mainly because it contains flavonoids, which limits the production of platelets in the lining of artery walls. This protects you from clot formation. There is only one unit of alcohol in about 175ml of wine, and it is important that men do not exceed 4 units per day. Women should limit their drinking to 14 units of alcohol a week. Moreover, it is important that you have at least two alcohol-free days every week.

7. Include Certain Fruits and Veggies in Your Diet

To help lower your platelet count, it is important to eat vegetables and fruits that contain salicylates that create a blood-thinning effect and prevent clotting. At the same time, they increase your body's immunity and keep infections at bay. Some of the best veggies to include in your diet are mushrooms, cucumber, radish, zucchini, and alfalfa, whereas cherries, berries, oranges, and raisings are some of the best fruits packed with salicylates.

8. Quit Smoking

You increase your risk of developing blood clots when you smoke. Cigarettes contain several harmful compounds that lead to thickening of the blood. This causes the platelets to clump together and form clots. Overtime, this can lead to problems such as strokes and heart attack. You need to take steps to quit smoking in order to keep your platelet count low. While it is hard to quit overnight, you should look for whatever ways available to help you overcome this habit.